Mining-cage



' (No Model.) `2 Sheets-Sheet l` G. H. RAMSAY.

MINING GAGE.

No. 356,208. Patented Jan. 18, 1887.

N. PETERS. Phnlo-Lnnngrlpnar. Wuhnglun. IJ C.

(No Mendel.) l 2 sheets-#sheen 2.

- 01.5. RAMSAY.'

` MINING, GAGE. No. 356,208. P ,ameantedl Jan. 18, 1-887.

N. PETERS. Pmvmmgnphnr, wnmngxm D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENTy OFFICE.

GEORGE H. RAMSAY, OF EXCELSIOR MINES, IOWA.

MINING-CAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 356,208, dated January 18, 1887. Application iiled August 9, 1886. Serial No. 210,415. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. REMsAY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Excelsior Mines, in the county of Mahaska and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mining- Cages, of which the followingis a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in mining-cages7 for elevating mining-cars; and it consists in a device for holding the said cars in the cage while being elevated from a mine or while being lowered into a mine, and is designed to be used in a coalshaft, the construction and operationl of which are fully set forth and explained in the following specification and claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and the letters and gures marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a coal-mining cage having the device for holding a mining-car therein attached thereto'and in service. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of a miningcage and an elevated plan of the device for holding the mining-cars in the cage'. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a collar of the device. Fig. 4 is a detailed view showing the manner in which the wheel of a mining-car passes under the holding-head of the device when being entered into or removed freni the cage; and Figs. 5 and 6 are detailed views showing the lever mechanism, which is secured to the top of the cage.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a coal-mining cage for elevating and lowering coal-mining cars, 3io., in a coal-shaft, and to which is attached the device for properly hold-` ing the said cars seated in the cage.

P represents a coal-mining car having the truck-wheels NV IV, and is run into and on the iioorof said cage on a suitable track, as shown in Fig.'1.

C represents the draft-chains of said cage, attached to the four top corners thereot at their lower end and to a center plate, G, at their upper end, as shown in said gure.

F represents a shank, within which is secured the hoisting-cable E, and is arranged Sleeved upon shank S, and arranged bei tween collar H and plate G, is ay heavy coilspring, Z, (see Fig. 2,) and is for the purpose o'f preventing too great shock to the cage A when it rst starts to elevate, as the shank F will, when thehoisting-cabl'e E is first started,

pass through said plate G a short, distance, and not bring chains C into active service until spring Z is compressed.

Collar H has formedintegral therewith and oppositely arranged two pairs of ear-lugs, between which are secured a pair of depending links, D, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

L and L represent a pair of levers, pivotally secured to the top of cage Ain standardboxes N and N', respectively, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, andconn'ccted together by placing the end of lever L, having the elongated hole or slot O, within the forked end of lever L, and pivotal] y securing them, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 6, and to the short end of lever L, and between its forks, are pivotally secured the lower end of links D. (See Figs. 1, 2, and 5.) Y

J represents a lever, fulcrumed at one side from its center in a standard-box, I, which is secured to the floor of the cage A, at one side of said cage, as shown in Figs. 1 2, and 4, and is connected with the long end of lever L, through the medium of the connecting-link R, as shown in Figs. l and 2.

Standard-box Lbein g of considerable height, is braced to the side of thecage by braces, (shown at I in Fig. 2.)

B represents a brake-block, formed or secured upon the free end oi' lever J as shown in Figs. 1, '2, and 4, and is for the purpose of engaging and holding the truck-wheels of a mining-car, l), t0 properly hold said car and its load properly seated in the cage A, and as said head is secured to the stationary box I, it will, when held between the wheels W W of the car, prevent the car from movement on its track in either direction, as shown in Fig. 1.

IOO

The cage A is designed to be used in a coalshaft, and S and S represent the shaft-guides between which it travels.

The principal feature of this invention consisis in the lever J and the brake-block B arranged or secured thereon, and the mechanism for operating it, for p roperly holding the cars P seated in the cage while the cage is in operation.

The operation of this device is substantially as follows: The cage A is elevated by means ot' the hoistingr cable E, which is secured in shank F, which shank is arranged through plate G, in such manner that coil-spring Z,

which is sleeved on said shank, Will be imme-4 i diately under plate G. Vhile the cage is being elevated, the spring Z is compressed, and the weight of the cage will be upon the draftchains C; but when the cable E is rst started, it will give shank F a limited movement through plate G until the spring Z is compressed, and by that means the links D, which are secured to collar H of shank F, will be operated upwardly, and thus open ate and hold down the brake-block B oflever J, through the medium of levers L and L and connecting-link t, and when a mining-car is in the cage said brakeblock B will be seated between the truck-wheels thereof, as shown in Fig. l, as said head is arranged properly for that purpose, and so long as strain is upon cable E said brake-block B will remain between the said car-wheels, and thus securely hold the car properly seated in the cage and thoroughly prevent it from moving out of place While being elevated. The instant the cage is stopped at rest, at either the bottom or top of the shaft, and the strain is relieved from ,cable E, the weight of shank F, chains C, and

the links of' the device will hold the brakeblock B disengaged from the car-Wheels, so the said car may be free to be run out of or into the cage, and as the two under sides ol` l said brake-block B are inclined or beveled the car-Wheel which passes under it, in being placed into or taken from the cage, will force up and pass under said brake-block in the manner shown in Fig. 4, provided said brakeblock is not otherwise held high enough, and thus it will be seen that the starting and stopping of the cage automatically operates the device for holding the mining-cars in the cage, and is entirely out of the Way of the cars, and requires no' attention Whatever in its operation, and it can also be attached to any eleva-` ting-cage, to operate in substantially the manner shown and described.

The dotted lines in Fig. 2 rep resent the position ofthe holding device when in service elevating a car, and the full lines of said figure represent the position of said parts when the cage is at rest.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows, to Wit:

l. In a mining-cage for elevating mining cars, and in combination with the hoistingcable E and 'shank F, having means for securing a pair of depending links thereto, the links D, levers L and L', connectinglink R, and lever .T,l1avng arranged thereon the brakeblock B and adapted to be automatically operated by said hoistingcable in such manner that said brake-block will engage the wheels of amining-car to hold the said ear seated in the cage, substantially as set forth.

2. In the mining-cage shown and described, the brake-block B, having the lever J, in combination with link B, levers LL, links D,and

the hoisting-cables, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

GEORGE H. BVA MS AY.

lfitnesses:

F. P. BUCK, A. H. MURPHY. 

